Vaporizer



Patented Aug. 3, 1937 EATENT OFFICE VAPORIZER Louis B. Heckel, SantaMonica, Calif., assignor to Curtis P. Heckel,

Santa Monica, Calif.

Application December 31, 1935 SerialNo. 56,928

2 Claims.

This invention relates to heaters and inhalers and has for an object theprovision of a medicament container and vaporizer by means of whichmedicament in a vaporous state can be discharged in a downward directionfrom a canopy where it can be inhaled by a patient lying in bed.

A further object is to provide a heater and inhaler in which the meansemployed for converting the medicament into vapor will be characterlO"ized by a structure by means of which an updraft will be induced at thevaporizing zone of a heater and the force of the induced draft employedto insure forced downward discharge of the vapor when the hood islowered relative to the head of the patient and the vapor therebyeffectively distributed at a position where the full benefit thereof canbe had when inhaled.

' Another object is to provide a heater and inhaler having a vapordischarge hood, the design, form and construction of which will enablethe vapor to occupy an area of large proportion, in which area the headof the patient is adapted to be disposed, the construction of the devicebeing otherwise such that the vapor will be confined against lateraldisplacement when in transit between the vaporizer and said hood.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for simplifying thework of inserting a charge of medicament in the vaporizing chamber ofthe device.

A further object is to provide a heater and inhaler in which an ordinaryincandescent lamp can be used for subjecting the medicament to avaporizing temperature.

A further object is to provide a heater and inhaler having means bywhich vertical adjustment of the hood can be effected as desired,whereby it can be closely related to the head of the patient.

A further object is to provide a heater and inhaler having means bywhich any vapor which may possibly condense upon discharge from thevaporizer will be trapped and prevented from falling upon the face ofthe patient.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a preferred embodiment of theinvention with parts shown in full lines;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the device showing the sectionsof the vaporizing chamher separated relative to each other for theintroduction of a charge of medicament thereto;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

In carrying the invention into practice, use is made of a portablestandard In having a flat base i I adapted to rest upon a floor orothersupporting surface, as shown in Figure 1. Said standard is formedwith a vertical straight length section l2 on which a vaporizing chamberI3 is mounted.

The vaporizing chamber [3 comprises a vertically disposed cylindricalbody having a lining M of' heat insulating material such as asbestos.The body has a bottom l5 formed with an annular series of vertical draftpassages It by means of which air can be taken into the chamber asindicated by the arrows in Figure 1.

At the top, the chamber is provided with an inverted conical cover H,the same being separable from the chamber or adjustable verticallyrelative thereto, as shown in Figure 2. When said cover is adjusted asjust stated, the body of the chamber may be supported in a position oflowered adjustment by engagement of the body supporting bracket IS witha horizontal branch IQ of standard IE! as also shown in Figure 2. Thebracket 18 may be held in a fixed position on the extension l2 by aclamp bolt 20, the latter serving when adjusted to one position toenable the vaporizer body to be turned about the axis of the branch 12,at which time quick and convenient access can be had to the interiorthereof when charging the chamber with medicament.

Within the chamber I3 at the center of the bottom I5 thereof is a heater2|, preferably in the form of an incandescent lamp of suitable wattage.This lamp is surrounded at its base by the aforestated draft openingsl6, and same directly underlies a medicament cup 22 which is supportedby a wing 23, the latter having an annular series of openings 24.

At the apex of the inverted conical top I! is attached one end of aconduit 25, the same curved outwardly at 26 and passed through a clampcollar 28 of the upper conical section 29 of a canopy 30. This canopy isprovided with a depending skirt 3| of suitable fabric material.

The base H has a tubular portion 32 in which standard II) can be raisedand lowered, and same can be secured in an intended position of verticaladjustment by a clamping device 33.

The end of the conduit 25 to which the canopy section 29 is attached isprovided with supporting arms 34 to the lower ends of which the upperopen end of a condensation cup 35 is removably fitted, the upper end ofsaid cup being disposed in spaced relation to the discharge end of theconduit as shown in Figure 1.

A patient to be treated may be seated beneath the large diameter canopyof the device and the canopy lowered to either dispose the head in thecanopy or in such relation thereto as will enable the generatedmedicament vapor to be freely inhaled. If desired, however, the patientcan lie in bed and the canopy can be lowered as desired relative to theface of the patient.

When the canopy has been adjusted as above stated, the lamp 2| islighted 'so as to generate sufficient heat to vaporize the medicament inthe cup 22. By the action of suction induced by the heat of the lamp,air will be drawn into the chamber I3 from whence it passes into theconduit 25 by way of openings 24 in ring 23. In this manner, the vaporwill be discharged into the hood at an effective velocity to provide azone within the canopy in which a large volume of vapor will beconstantly present in order that it can be freely inhaled by thepatient. Any condensation passing from the conduit 25 will be caught bythe cup 35 and thus held from direct contact with the face of thepatient.

Various changes in the forms, constructions and design of the partsemployed can be made without departing from the broad idea of a means toconvert a volatile, or other suitable well known medicament into vaporand effect a discharge thereof from the vaporizing chamber by anup-draft formed in the chamber in the manner herein stated and the vaporpassed to a location where it can be freely inhaled by the patient.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a vaporizing chamber having aheater therein: a medicament holder in the chamber above the heater, thechamber formed with a draft opening for admission of air to thechamberby suction induced by heat generated by the heater and to provide anup-draft in the chamber above and around the medicament holder; a vapordischarge conduit leading from the chamber above the medicament holder,and having a depending cover separably associated with the chamber toclose the open top thereof; a Vertical support; means for securing thedischarge conduit to the support; means for mounting the chamber on thesupport for rectilinear movement vertically from a closed position to anopen position relative to said cover, in order to render the medicamentholder accessible; and means for releasably retaining the chamber inclosed position.

2. In a device of the class described, a standard; a vaporizing chambermounted on the standard and including a cover section having a dischargeconduit secured to the standard, and a body section verticallyadjustable on the standard from a closed position to an open positionrelative to the cover section so as to expose the interior of the bodysection; means for retaining the body section in closed position; meansfor generating vapor in thechamber; and meansfor effecting forcedejection of vapor from said.

chamber through said discharge conduit when the body section occupiesclosed position.

LOUIS P. HECKEL.

